About Anne
"Anne is a Licensed Midwife in Southern California and founder of Agape Home Birth and Midwifery Services. Anne has attended and personally delivered, in home birth settings, hundreds of beautiful babies in some very wonderful and natural settings -- like in the water!"
Welcome
Anne Sommers, Licensed Midwife, has been directly involved in midwifery since 1986, when she began her apprenticeship. In 1996 she completed Seattle Midwifery School’s Challenge Process, and the NARM exam (supervised by the California Medical Board) qualifying her as a Licensed Midwife in the state of California and a Certified Professional Midwife.
Our educational table at a recent baby fair: Tammie, Anne and Alisha
Media
Anne has appeared on several southern California radio and cable television programs, most recently on the Odyssey Channel, in a program entitled, The Spirituality of Childbirth, which featured a midwife assisted home birth. However, she is best known for her appearance on the popular TLC show,
A Baby Story, as the midwife managing a water birth. Her midwifery work was also captured in Mothers and Daughters, a book of photographs released for Mother’s Day, 1997.
Aside from writing for and editing several childbirth publications, Anne published her own quarterly magazine known as “MOM” for several years. Besides her numerous articles, she has also co written an E-book with writer Abbi Perets, Homebirth: Making It Happen, covering various topics she’s encountered over the years as midwife, such as "Who Cuts the Cord," "Vaccinations," "Circumcision," "Post Partum Care," "Types of Midwives," "Pregnancy Health," "Registering Your Baby’s Birth," "Coping with Labor," "Breastfeeding" and "Newborn Care."
During her years as editor, Anne had the pleasure of interviewing many prominent natural childbirth proponents and authors, such as the Tom Brewer, M.D. notable for his works on toxemia and the Brewer Diet; Robert Bradley, M.D., author of Husband Coached Childbirth and whose philosophies inspired the famous Hathaway’s childbirth education course, commonly known as the Bradley Method; Robert Mendelsohn, M.D. the radical, quick witted and inspirational author of Medical Malepractice and Confessions of a Medical Heretic; Michel Odent, M.D. universally respected for his water birth philosophies and writings, such as Birth Reborn; the distinguished anthropologist Ashley Montague, PhD, author of Touching; Gail Brewer, Diana Korte, David Chamberlain, and many others.
With Woman
Anne spends time at her prenatal visits addressing questions and educating her clients on all aspects of the pregnancy experience. “I firmly believe that birth is not necessarily a medical event, but a natural, personal experience which needs to involve the family, primarily the husband She also offers that one to one personal care that only a sensitive caring midwife can provide. Anne works along side her mothers; after all, midwife means “with woman” that is - not above her, not below her, but as a companion - with her.
Believing that one of the things that women are designed to do is reproduce; Anne thinks that what a woman needs in order to birth is the right environment and support to do so. It is a common fact that well-informed women from all walks of life choose midwives for the personalized care they receive. They desire to labor and birth in the comfort and privacy of their own home, with a sensitive midwife, who is their companion in childbirth.
Midwifery is a Tradition
Providing Traditional Midwifery care and home birth for more than 30 years in the southern California area, Anne’s services include prenatal check ups, lab work, ultrasounds, genetic testing, placenta encapsulation, cord blood retrieval for banking, nutritional counseling, home birth, water birth, post partum care, VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), newborn exams, lactation education, the filing of insurance reimbursement claims, and help with getting your baby's social security card and birth registered. Anne offers prenatal care in her office in Murrieta. In special circumstances she will arrange home visits for your prenatal care. Her initial consultations are free.
When you go into labor Anne is available 24/7. You will have her private cell phone number in case of any urgent needs or questions and when you go into labor. As your Midwife, she will go out to your home to monitor your labor and help you to deliver your baby, bringing all the equipment necessary and at least one assistant.
Traditional midwives like Anne have survived throughout the ages in every culture to give support to mothers and to act as guardians of the natural process of birth. Anne is trained in modern childbirth techniques, but she also uses a variety of natural health alternatives including nutrition, herbs and homeopathy.
Anne, with her assistant Amanda carrying Baby Joni, attending the birth of Baby Rayne being held by Shannon
Consistency and Quality of Care
"I have been a midwife for nearly 30 years. Though I have seen some changes in the industry, what has been consistent is my quality of care." Anne continues to stay updated on any new protocols or procedures in childbirth and other mother/baby topics.
Complications
In California, midwives are licensed to provide newborn care, attend childbirth and perform prenatal, postpartum and well-woman care. Their training involves how to handle complications such as hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia and provide neonatal resuscitation. They also bring equipment to your birth to help in these situations, such as oxygen and resuscitation equipment. Midwives like Anne know how to screen high-risk women who may need additional care; they can order lab work, ultrasounds and other medical tests. View Services.
Why Choose Anne
So, if you feel you are the type of woman who would like to have all of your questions addressed during your 30-60 minute prenatal appointment with a Licensed Midwife, be able to eat and move about freely in labor, deliver your baby in the position of your choice, perhaps in water, consider care with Anne.
With her on your side, you won’t have to worry about getting the doctor on call in the final moments of birth, or withstand unnecessary interventions or tests that you don’t want or need.
Choosing Anne as your midwife means you can rest assured that your own personal birthing style will be honored; spending the first moments with your baby, uninterrupted and at peace. Anne’s office is located Murrieta, CA where she sees clients from the Inland Empire, and north San Diego County areas.